MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. Lebanon can hold the second tender for development of offshore oil and gas fields with participation of Russian companies by the end of this year, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil told TASS in an interview on Tuesday.

Beirut opens a tender for a new site for any company meeting requisite requirements, the Minister said. "This opening of the next bidding ground was permitted by the Council of Ministers lately in its last session and this can take place any time from now to the end of the year," he said.

"This opens a new opportunity for the Russian companies to participate, but this will always keep the conditions of success objectively as the main condition for a company to win," the minister noted.

"I hope that Russian companies will be part of this," Bassil added.